Chapter 8

Thanks to the blanket, I managed to sleep through the night without waking up once, even with the Patience-style sleeping posture. Though, I wonder if I’ll ever be able to stop sleeping like that? It seems even my thoughts are becoming more refined. I wonder if I’m being “eroded” by Patience.

“But I have to do something.”

I felt a sense of relief that my enthusiasm for improving life at the House of Granger remained. Is this an isekai reincarnation? Even if it’s possession, it’s quite strange, isn’t it?

As usual, I ate my thin soup and bread and waited for Mary in my room. It seemed like being a lady’s maid was important work for her. I’m sure she’d get sick of doing nothing but kitchen maid chores.

“My Lady, thank you for waiting.”

Mary arrived carrying the blue dress. She had finished altering the size.

“It suits you beautifully,” she praised, though I felt a bit like the dress was wearing me. She had taken in the shoulders, but it was still large overall.

“Let’s decorate your hair with a ribbon made from the same fabric as the dress.”

She bustled about, placing a blue ribbon on the vanity before carefully combing my hair. Since I’m a child, my hair isn’t pinned up completely. It was similar to the half-up style I did last night, but Mary’s skill was quite good; she braided sections of the hair she pulled up.

“I wish Lady Julianne could have seen you…”

As she pinned the blue ribbon into my hair, Mary teared up with satisfaction. Apparently, Mary had served as a maid since before my mother was married. Still, it wasn’t quite worth that much praise. Patience’s “raw materials” aren’t bad, but she’s just far too emaciated.

“Now, we must not keep the Viscount waiting.”

I put on the coat that was nearly bursting at the seams. To Mary, it was infuriating because it ruined the look of the dress she’d worked so hard on, but I was just relieved to finally be warm.

Come to think of it, I haven’t stepped out through the front door yet.

This was my first outing since becoming Patience. Wyatt opened a magnificent front door that certainly didn’t look like it belonged to a poor household. Descending a few steps, I saw—a carriage! We’re this poor, yet we have a carriage?

Memories surfaced of Father leaving every day by carriage when he worked at the Royal Palace. The carriage bore the Granger crest: a pen and a book. A very fitting crest for the House of Granger.

“Come, Patience. Get in.”

Escorted by Father, I experienced my first carriage ride. I really have to give Father a high rating for his politeness, but I suppressed a sigh, wishing he had some survival skills to go with it. Mary rode in the carriage with us as my lady’s maid. Apparently, a young lady must always be accompanied by her maid.

In the House of Granger, with its few servants, there is no dedicated coachman. George, the manservant, was wearing a coachman’s uniform today—a change from his usual attire—and drove the carriage.

I knew from Patience’s memories that we lived in the Royal Capital, Romano. The streets looked like an aristocratic district, lined with large mansions.

If we sold the Granger manor and bought a small house in a more common neighborhood, couldn’t we live a bit better? I wondered, but selling the manor didn’t seem like something a daughter could suggest. I have to improve our life through things I can do myself. On this point, I’m starting to understand even without Patience’s “No!” attacks.

The church was a solemn grey building, its exterior covered in intricate carvings. I had only skimmed On the Estena Religion yesterday, but the two figures standing at the front were surely famous saints. I had Mary help me off with my coat. Since it was so tight, it was difficult to remove. Mary straightened the wrinkles in my dress by hand. Meanwhile, Father also took off his coat and handed it to Mary. Mary seemed to be waiting near the entrance.

“Let us go in.” Escorted by Father, I entered the church.

“Oh, how beautiful!”

The morning sun streamed through the stained glass, and unlike the solemnity of the exterior, the inside was filled with blue, green, and yellow light.

“If you have the aptitude for Light Magic, you could become a nun.”

A nun? It didn’t quite click, and I didn’t want to become one, but was he perhaps worried about not being able to pay a dowry? From now on, I have to provide an education for my brothers. Money is necessary. I don’t necessarily have to go to the Academy… while thinking of such things, we moved further into the church.

“Viscount Granger, welcome.”

A butler must have contacted them in advance, as a man who looked like a monk was waiting in front of the altar.

“Priest Johan, this is my eldest daughter, Patience. I ask for an aptitude check.”

The white robe he wore had gold thread embroidery on the collar and sleeves. To put it bluntly, he looked wealthier than my family.

From the side, a monk in a plain robe with no embroidery rolled out a stand. A black velvet cloth was laid over the stand, and a single disc was placed upon it with great care.

“Now, please place your hands on the disc.”

Prompted by Priest Johan and encouraged by Father—who said, “Patience, just be calm”—I placed my hands on the disc.

A tingly sensation, like a weak electric shock, ran from my hands through my whole body.

Looking closely at the disc, were those gems? Or were they magic stones? Only one of them was glowing.

“Lady Patience has been blessed with Household Magic.”

It’s not exactly an ability worth being called a “blessing,” but in the Estena religion, magic is considered a gift from the gods. I felt a little disappointed that there was no “cheat” ability.

“Thank you.”

To my surprise, Father didn’t just say thank you; he paid the monk a gold coin! The first gold coin I had ever seen. I thought that if it was just this, we might not have needed to come to the church at all. However, I was happy to have it officially recognized that I can use Household Magic. Now I can use the toilet!